If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

Coaches will be able to challenge only one play per game under changes to the video review system approved Tuesday night by the Canadian Football League, the CFL announced Wednesday.

This came into effect a week ago. I'ts very unusual for the CFL to change the rules midseason, but I guess if bandwagon fans cry and whine enough that the games are taking to long anything can happen.

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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

I agree one per half would be good. But then I myself had no problem with the challenge system the way it was. Sure at times it may have taken a bit longer then it needed. But as long as the right decision was made that's all that mattered. The only thing I disliked about the whole system was being able to challenge to get a penalty. Never liked all the P.I. challenges that every coach would try to get just to gain a little bit of an advantage.

Apparently the challenge system will be reevaluated during the off-season. I could almost see the league take it away and say it was a failure.

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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

Canadian Football League commissioner Randy Ambrosie is a big fan of the East-West dynamic but says he would entertain discussions about a change to the league’s playoff structure.

“I would tip my hand and say that I’m a passionate believer in East vs. West … I think it is part of what has made the league special,” Ambrosie said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “It has that uniquely Canadian identity.

“Having said that, I also know that we have to bring modern thinking to everything about our league. I’m willing to have the conversation for sure. We have to be open-minded because the world is changing around us and we don’t want to have our heads in the sand.”

A major imbalance in the strength of teams in the West and East this season has spurred talk of a change to the playoff format.

Currently, the top three teams in each division make the playoffs, unless the fourth-place team in one division has more points than the third-place team in the other. In that case, there is a crossover, which has occurred nine times since it was introduced in 1996, with West teams crossing to the East every time (most recently last season when the Edmonton Eskimos crossed over).

However, this year all five teams in the West have records that are as good or better than all four teams in the East. The Edmonton Eskimos alone, with seven wins, have as many victories as the four Eastern teams combined.

Going back to last season, the Ottawa Redblacks won the East and hosted the division final with an 8-9-1 record, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) and Eskimos (10-8) had to try to win two playoff games on the road.

In a column on Sunday, we suggested it’s time for the league to look at scrapping the East-West format and going to one division, with the top-six teams making the playoffs.

“I’m happy to have that conversation with everyone and I think we should have it,” Ambrosie said. “This has been, in the early days, one of the things I’m having the most fun with. I think we should have a national conversation about our game. I think the more people that engage in the conversation, the better. I think the CFL is the perfect expression of what being Canadian is all about. Where that leads us I don’t know but I think those conversations make us better and I’m happy to have them.”

Ambrosie, who was an offensive lineman in the CFL from 1985 to 1993, has been on the job as a commissioner for only a little more than a month, but has already shown a propensity for decisiveness and a willingness to converse, listen and change, if necessary.

It seems unlikely he’d be voting in favour of a change to the East-West structure himself, however.

“Like most who have a history with something, my history with East and West goes back to being a kid and we used to do fundraisers, selling football pool tickets,” Ambrosie said.

“We went around to all our friends and neighbours and it was East vs. West and it was like that in my earliest recollection of Grey Cup games and Grey Cup parties. I was from Winnipeg and rabidly cheering for whoever was representing the West over the evil empire from the East, whoever that happened to be, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that it’s just a big part of being Canadian, East vs. West.”

Ambrosie also likes the fact that a team like the Redblacks, despite not having a great regular season, was able to win the Grey Cup last year, beating the 15-2-1 Calgary Stampeders in an overtime thriller.

“I went 16-2 in Edmonton in 1989 and we lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who were 9-9, in the Western Final, and they went on to win the Grey Cup.” Ambrosie said.

“I was in Regina this weekend and I saw how proud they are of that Grey Cup. It’s a reminder that regular seasons are important but playoffs matter more. Calgary last year, right? Sometimes there’s just some magic in getting hot at the right time.”

I've been saying that for years now. Get rid of the East/West format for the playoff's and but the best 6 teams in there.

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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

MONTREAL — Montreal Alouettes receiver Nik Lewis became the CFL’s all-time career receptions leader on Thursday night, surpassing CFL great and member of the 2017 Canadian Football Hall of Fame class Geroy Simon.

The Alouettes receiver entered the Alouettes’ Week 10 matchup with Winnipeg with 1,021 catches, eight short of tying Simon for the record.

Lewis caught his record-breaking 1,030th career reception on a pass from quarterback Darian Durant during the fourth quarter of Thursday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Molson Stadium.

“On behalf of the CFL family, congratulations to Nik Lewis on setting the new standard when it comes to receptions in our league. Nik will go down as one of the all-time greats ever to play our game.”

Over 14 seasons, Lewis has become one of the league’s most prolific and unique players — both for his animated personality and his rambunctious playing style.

The 35-year-old Southern Arkansas alum — who broke into the league in 2004 with the Stampeders and spent 11 years in Calgary before moving to Montreal — has gone over 1,000 yards in a season on 10 different occasions.

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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

HAMILTON — Changes continue to take place in Hamilton and this one is the most significant yet.

The Tiger-Cats announced Thursday afternoon that Kent Austin has stepped down as head coach and appointed June Jones as his replacement. Austin will remain with the club as the team’s Vice President of Football Operations.

“June and I have established a great relationship, and I feel comfortable and very confident with him handling the on-field product moving forward,” Austin said in a statement. “This organization, its fans and partners deserve a championship calibre team and we fully expect to work together to return us to that level.”

The change comes on the heels of an 0-8 start and during the team’s bye week as they prepare to take on the Toronto Argonauts in the traditional Labour Day contest.

Jones joined the Tiger-Cats earlier this month as Assistant Head Coach on August 2. He has served as a head coach for over 20 years in his career, including stints in the NCAA at Southern Methodist University (2008-14) and the University of Hawaii (1999-2007), and in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers (Interim – 1998) and Atlanta Falcons (1994-96).

In over four-and-a-half seasons as sideline boss in Hamilton, Austin finished his head coaching tenure with a record of 36-44 and led the Tabbies to two Grey Cup appearances and a trio of Eastern Final appearances.

Ferguson: Jones era brings fresh start in Hamilton

CFL.ca’s Marshall Ferguson weighed in on the shakeups in Tigertown Thursday afternoon and says that the moves allow Austin to continue through with his vision over the club while allowing Jones more influence in game management, specifically in the offence.

“The departure of Kent Austin as Head Coach in favour of June Jones is a fresh start for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2017,” Ferguson said. “Everything in the Tiger-Cats organization has Austin’s finger prints on it and that will likely continue off the field.

“The great difference here is that on field control is solely in the possession of Jones who we still know very little about. As a result, the Ticats direction moving forward will be determined by new ideas and a fresh approach.”

With Hamilton @ 0-8 this season you could see a coaching change coming. Didn't expect it this soon though.

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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

Can't get the video to display here, so you'll have to follow the link. But this is Canadian Football at it's finest.

« Last Edit: August 25, 2017, 01:35:43 PM by cflnut »

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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't.And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would.